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At CV Link grand opening, Rancho Mirage bashed for not participating in the project

While Friday's grand opening of the first stretch of the CV Link touted the many years of hard work that pushed the bike/recreation path forward, event speakers didn’t miss an opportunity to chide and bash Rancho Mirage for its refusal to participate in the project.

As La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans took the stage to make introductory remarks, she snagged a selfie with Palm Desert Councilwoman Jan Harnik and Indio Mayor Mike Wilson and said: “I’ll make sure Rancho Mirage gets a copy.”

The event is just the start of many celebrations to come as only 2.3 miles of the planned 50-mile path have been completed. It was held at the head of the path at Escena Palm Springs, the Clubhouse View Drive entry at Vista Chino in Palm Springs. The path, which is open to walkers, bicyclists and golf carts, still has many more miles of concrete to be poured along the Whitewater River storm water channel until the path is complete.

But Palm Springs Mayo Pro Tem J.R. Roberts said the CV Link won’t be complete until Rancho Mirage joins in. The city opted out of the project saying it would have been too disruptive to the community. Rancho Mirage Councilman Dana Hobart, who is running for re-election, continues to promise that he will fight the CV Link in years to come if re-elected this spring.

“My hope is that Rancho Mirage will recognize the importance of this for their residents and tourists and will close the gap,” Roberts said. “I will continue to fight for this. CV Link will not be complete until it is complete. This just got real.”

With Rancho Mirage opting out of the project, there will be a gap between Palm Springs and Palm Desert where bicyclists will have to ride through regular city streets.

Indio Mayor Mike Wilson said the CV Link is essential for pedestrian and bicycle safety in the valley. He said he can’t wait to see the path span through Indio and into Coachella. But the next piece of the link residents will see is the section in Palm Springs along Tahquitz Creek. Construction is slated to start this summer.

Speakers discuss the history of making CV Link a reality during the ribbon-cutting on Feb. 23, 2018.(Photo: NICOLE HAYDEN/DESERT SUN)

As the nearly two hours of speakers progressed, the jokes at Rancho Mirage’s expense continued, but with the underlying message that the CV Link was symbolic to the unification of all communities in the valley with Rancho Mirage creating a chasm amid that.

Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez echoed that sentiment as he spoke in memory of the late Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit, who was very passionate about the CV Link project and a big player in pushing it forward prior to his death.

“(Benoit’s) point of view was that this would connect the east and the west sides of the valley,” Perez said. “It would fight through classicism, the racial divide and the politics.”

William Burke, South Coast Air Quality Management District Chairman, said Benoit would have been honored to feel the sense of community that arose among the hundreds of people who showed up to celebrate the CV Link ribbon cutting on Friday.

Tom Kirk, CVAG director, said the next sections of the CV Link that residents see materialize with be in Palm Springs, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella. Kirk also announced that Renova Energy has committed to funding the operations and maintenance of this first stretch of the CV Link through an “adopt the link” program.

Bikes line the entrance to the start of the CV Link on Feb. 23, 2018.(Photo: NICOLE HAYDEN/DESERT SUN)

Vincent Battaglia, Renova Energy executive officer, hinted that he would be willing to commit to the maintenance of additional sections of the CV Link once they are complete. Micro solar grids are also planned to light up the entire pathway.

Lucy Brown, 86, of Palm Springs came out to witness the celebration – something she didn’t think she would see in her lifetime. She said she was “so happy” and will be biking that path routinely in the future.

Frank Hoffmann, of Palm Springs, said he is happy bicyclists will have a safe place to ride now. He had his chihuahua, Chica, riding in the basket of his bike on Friday morning.

“Once the path is complete it will span all the way to our house,” Hoffmann said. “Which I can’t wait for. Riding on just city streets here is no fun and my wife doesn’t really like to do so as she was actually hit by a car while riding a few years ago here.”

Chico, a chihuahua from Palm Springs, enjoys his first ride to the CV Link on Feb. 23, 2018.(Photo: NICOLE HAYDEN/DESERT SUN)

Michael Heylin, who was visiting from San Francisco, said he was excited to hear that a section of the CV Link was opening while he was in town. He said he was very impressed with the project and believes it will attract more visitors like himself to travel the valley just to ride it.

Cathedral City Mayor Stan Henry said for many years people thought the CV Link was only a pipe dream. Now he said the path will “shower your soul with beautiful desert flora,” sunshine and mountains.

And while many think the CV Link debate is dead in Rancho Mirage, it was made clear on Friday morning that hopes to include the city in the project are still alive.

Desert Sun reporter Nicole Hayden covers the cities of La Quinta, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert. She can be reached at Nicole.Hayden@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4623.